The Year of Living Scandalously,

When Declan O’Connor, Earl of Donnelly, arrives at Hadley Green to meet with Lily Boudine, the new countess of Ashwood, he knows instantly that the lovely woman who welcomes him is not who she pretends to be. In an attempt to avoid an unwanted marriage, Keira Hannigan has assumed her cousin’s identity and is staying at the estate while Lily is abroad. When Declan threatens to expose her, Keira convinces him to guard her secret....

Someone to Love: A Westcott Novel, Book 1

Anna Snow grew up in an orphanage in Bath knowing nothing of the family she came from. Now she discovers that the late Earl of Riverdale was her father and that she has inherited his fortune. She is also overjoyed to learn she has siblings. However, they want nothing to do with her or her attempts to share her new wealth. But the new earl's guardian is interested in Anna.

How to Capture a Duke: Matchmaking for Wallflowers, Book 1

Fiona Amberly is more intrigued by the Roman ruins near her manor house than she is by balls. When her dying grandmother worries about Fiona's future, Fiona stammers that she's secretly engaged. Soon she finds herself promising that she will introduce her husband-to-be by Christmas.

Slightly Married: Bedwyn Saga Series, Book 1

Like all the Bedwyn men, Aidan has a reputation for cool arrogance. But this proud nobleman also possesses a loyal, passionate heart - and it is this fierce loyalty that has brought Colonel Lord Aidan to Ringwood Manor to honor a dying soldier's request. Having promised to comfort and protect the man's sister, Aidan never expected to find a headstrong, fiercely independent woman who wants no part of his protection, nor did he expect the feelings this beguiling creature would ignite in his guarded heart.

A Scot in the Dark: Scandal & Scoundrel, Book II

Miss Lillian Harwood has lived much of her life alone in a gilded cage, longing for love and companionship. When an artist offers her pretty promises and begs her to pose for a scandalous portrait, Lily doesn't hesitate...until the lying libertine leaves her in disgrace. With the painting now public, Lily has no choice but to turn to the one man who might save her from ruin.

The Duke and I

Simon Basset, the irresistible Duke of Hastings, has hatched a plan to keep himself free from the town's marriage-minded society mothers. He pretends to be engaged to the lovely Daphne Bridgerton. After all, it isn't as if the brooding rogue has any real plans to marry - though there is something about the alluring Miss Bridgerton that sets Simon's heart beating a bit faster. And as for Daphne, surely the clever debutante will attract some very worthy suitors now that it seems a duke has declared her desirable.

An Offer from a Gentleman

Sophie Beckett never dreamed she'd be able to sneak into Lady Bridgerton's famed masquerade ball - or that Prince Charming would be waiting there for her! Though the daughter of an earl, Sophie has been relegated to the role of servant by her disdainful stepmother. But now, spinning in the strong arms of the debonair and devastatingly handsome Benedict Bridgerton, she feels like royalty. Alas, she knows all enchantments must end when the clock strikes midnight.

Make Me Love You

Brooke Whitworth has been dreaming of her first Season in London, because she intends to win a husband who will take her far away from her unloving family. Instead she is being sent to the Yorkshire moors to wed a mysterious nobleman whose family is cursed and who has thrice tried to kill her brother. But there's no room in her heart for fear; this man is her means of escape. She will make him love her!

The Rogue Not Taken: Scandal & Scoundrel, Book 1

When Sophie, the least interesting of the Talbot sisters, lands her philandering brother-in-law backside first in a goldfish pond in front of all society, she becomes the target of very public aristocratic scorn. Her only choice is to flee London, vowing to start a new life far from the aristocracy. Unfortunately, the carriage in which she stows away isn't saving her from ruin. It's filled with it.

Do You Want to Start a Scandal

On the night of the Parkhurst ball, someone had a scandalous tryst in the library. Was it Lord Canby, with the maid, on the divan? Or Miss Fairchild, with a rake, against the wall? Perhaps the butler did it. All Charlotte Highwood knows is this: It wasn't her. But rumors to the contrary are buzzing. Unless she can discover the lovers' true identity, she'll be forced to marry Piers Brandon, Lord Granville - the coldest, most arrogantly handsome gentleman she's ever had the misfortune to embrace.

The Proposal

Award-winning and New York Times best-selling author Mary Balogh delights fans with historical romantic tales that touch the heart. After her husband dies in a freak accident, Lady Gwendoline Muir never dreams she’ll love again. So when soldier-turned-nobleman Lord Hugo Trentham stirs feelings in her that have lain dormant for years, she can’t help but imagine his strong embrace. Hugo finds himself drawn to Gwen, but he’s never courted a woman before. Can he muster the right words to make Gwen open her heart and love once more?

Stormswept

The first wedding night that Lady Juliana St. Albans spent with the dark and daring Rhys Vaughan was intoxicating, the heady culmination of her new husband's driving hunger and her own awakened sensuality. When he mysteriously disappeared the next morning, she waited for him in hope and desperation. And when he was finally proclaimed dead in a shipwreck, she bitterly mourned the loss of her love. The second wedding night that Juliana spent with Rhys Vaughan was six years later.

The Book of Scandal

Nathan Grey, the Earl of Lindsey, is infamously known as the Libertine of Lindsey for his scandalous ways with women. But when he hears gossip that his estranged wife, Evelyn, is about to be named in The Book of Scandal, he has no choice but to remove her from London to protect her and himself from charges of treason — even if it calls for abduction!

Heartless

Life has taught Lucas Kendrick, duke of Harndon, that a heart is a decided liability. Betrayed by his elder brother, rejected by his fiancée, banished by his father, and shunned by his mother, Luke fled to Paris, where he became the most sought-after bachelor in fashionable society. Ten years later fate has brought him back home to England as head of the family who rejected him. Unwilling as he is to be involved with them, he must assume responsibility for his younger siblings, the family estate he once loved - and the succession.

The Hazards of Hunting a Duke: Desperate Debutantes

When the young ladies of the Fairchild family learn that their stepfather has absconded with their late mother's fortune, Ava, the eldest, hunts down the notoriously wealthy rakehell Jared Broderick, the Marquis of Middleton and heir to a dukedom. Much to her shock and delight, the marquis sweeps her into a whirlwind romance and proposes marriage. But after their passionate wedding night, Ava discovers Jared has ulterior motives of his own. Not only does he expect her to deliver an heir while he continues to enjoy a rogue's life, but Ava also suspects she is a pawn in her husband's quest for revenge.

Miss Wonderful: Carsington Brothers, Book 1

War hero Alistair Carsington really really loves women, and his romantic impulses have landed him in nearly as much danger as the Battle of Waterloo. To avoid his usual temptations and perhaps even repay the friend who saved his life, he's exiled himself to a place far from civilization - Derbyshire - in winter! Fate laughs at his good intentions and drives him straight into conflict with Miss Mirabel Oldridge, his match in tenacity, intelligence, and deviousness - who also happens to be wildly irresistible.

My American Duchess

The arrogant Duke of Trent intends to marry a well-bred Englishwoman. The last woman he would ever consider marrying is the adventuresome Merry Pelford - an American heiress who has infamously jilted two fiancés. But after one provocative encounter with the captivating Merry, Trent desires her more than any woman he has ever met. He is determined to have her as his wife, no matter what it takes. And Trent is a man who always gets what he wants.

The Dangerous Gentleman

It was strictly business as Adrian Spence claimed the woman his brother desired. A hasty wedding, and Lilliana Dashell was his - sweet revenge on the father who disinherited him and the brother who let it happen. Their wedding night is a revelation as passionate, innocent Lilliana ignites fires Adrian tries desperately to deny. By day he is a stranger. By night he is the lover of her dreams, and she a shameless wanton in his arms. But Adrian is determined that no woman will ever possess him.

The Lion's Daughter

Gorgeous, stubborn Esme Brentmor, daughter of a disgraced lord, is used to a wild, dangerous life among the tribes of Albania, to whom her father is the legendary, controversial Red Lion whose death she's courageously vowed to avenge - even if it leads to her own. Instead, her quest finds her rescued by the most unlikely (and very reluctant) hero! Lazy and spoiled, Lord Varian St. George has gambled away his heritage and lives on his considerable looks, charm and wits.

Marrying Winterborne

Savage ambition has brought common-born Rhys Winterborne vast wealth and success. In business and beyond, Rhys gets exactly what he wants. And from the moment he meets the shy, aristocratic Lady Helen Ravenel, he is determined to possess her. If he must take her virtue to ensure she marries him, so much the better....

If the Earl Only Knew: The Daring Marriages, Book 1

Orphaned at young ages, Lady Katherine Ashton and her brother have spent most of their lives on the high seas, seeking to restore their family fortune through somewhat dubious means. After that kind of adventure, Kate knows, she won't ever be accepted as a proper society lady. To the annoyingly clever, temptingly handsome, and altogether troublesome Earl of Wynbrook, society ladies are a dead bore. Kate, on the other hand, is scandalous, alluring, and altogether fascinating.

Simply Unforgettable: The Simply Quartet, Book 1

Stranded together in a rustic country inn, Lucius Marshall, who is the Viscount Sinclair, and Frances Allard share a night of glorious, unforgettable passion. But Frances knows her place, and it is far from the privileged world of the sensual aristocrat. Due to begin her teaching position at Miss Martin's School in Bath, Frances must try to forget that one extraordinary night - and the man who touched her with such exquisite tenderness and abandon.

The Trouble with Honor

Desperate times call for daring measures as Honor Cabot, the eldest stepdaughter of the wealthy Earl of Beckington, awaits her family's ruin. Upon the earl's death she and her sisters stand to lose the luxury of their grand home - and their place on the pedestal of society - to their stepbrother and his social-climbing fiancée. Forced to act quickly, Honor makes a devil's bargain with the only rogue in London who can seduce her stepbrother's fiancée out of the Cabots' lives for good.

The Devil's Love

With dreams of a great romantic love, Abigail Carrington sails to England to marry the man she has loved since childhood, Michael Ingram, Marquis of Darfield. She believes her betrothed is a generous and noble man who has been longing for her. But the handsome man waiting for her at the altar is a dark, brooding stranger who rushes her into marriage, then abandons her at his country estate. Only the passion of Michael's kiss gives her hope that theirs can be more than a marriage of convenience.

Publisher's Summary

The last person Daria Babcock expects to find in her grandmother’s home is a brawny, naked Highlander. She doesn’t buy Mamie’s explanation about finding the poor man shot in the woods. Nor does she trust the gorgeous laird, who insists his own memory fails him. But Daria came to Scotland looking for adventure and romance, and after the intriguing stranger kidnaps her, she gets her wish - and so much more....

I can admit that I have wanted to read this book since first seeing the blurb in the Julia London newsletter. I hadn't read but one of her other Hadley Green series but the blurb stuck in my mind and wouldn't let go. Learning it was going to be simultaneously released in audio, narrated by one of my favorite narrators EVER--Justine Eyre--sealed the deal.

However, it did not turn out as well as I had anticipated. I had several problems with and I'm not sure if it is because I listened to it and these issues just sounded worse when said out loud or if the book and myself never connected. I didn't like the grandmother. Although I don't condone corporal punishment upon the elderly, I wouldn't have blinked if that woman had gotten slapped. Hard. She came off as shifty and seriously whacked. Like two faces of Eve, medication is never going to fix this, eventually kill people in their sleep, whacked.

The narration really brought out the faults in this story for me. Whether that was due to narrator interpretation or bad writing, I don't know. I personally don't think it was the narrator's fault. Eyre's performance was quite pleasant. I could tell the difference in the males and females, Scottish and English, and the main characters personalities (unfortunately) shown through clearly. Her pacing flowed, the pauses were natural and there were no noticeable inhalation of breaths. She was Morgan Freeman in a Mike Meyers movie, too cool to be contained...

I don't know if I will read another Julia London title after this. I may if the library gets a copy and I can read it. I do know I won't be listening to any more of them if given the opportunity. It is sometimes easier to ignore a story's weaknesses when you read it; like in real life, it's much harder to ignore it when someone else points it out.

Loved this story, it's very well written and the narration is top notch! I had a little trouble at first getting into the story but then it took off and I was hooked. I love the use of the Gaelic language and the narrators ability to say it all correctly. The storyline progresses very well after the small bump in the begining and the narrator is wonderful.

Daria Babcock's entire life is turned completely upside down when she decides to visit her grandmother in Scotland. Everything she knows to be true will be tested and it will take a stubborn Laird to help her straighten things out. The characters are all very well created and attention to detail is superb.

The story is alright... The love story is nice, but there is a lot that is hard to swallow. Even after the great reveal near the end of the book, there is a whole lot that feels like an anachronism. I am not sure I could suspend my disbelief THAT much. The story is fun and sweet but there is a whole lot of details that do not correspond to the time period at all. The Parents let their unmarried daughter go trekking off to Scotland to deliver money to her Grandmother? Really? Then the Grandmother is up to something but no one knows what. Okay we can buy that, but she leaves her Grand Daughter alone with a naked Scot whom she had shot but is now nursing back to health? REALLY?!? Then he takes her hostage for money that was stolen/given by a daft man. Okay, I can buy that, but then the girl who is kidnapped tells people she is there in duress and no one believes her... okay and her Grandmother doesn't seem overly concerned by the predicament her Unmarried Grand-Daughter is in?!? Two weeks in the highlanders castle with no chaperone? REALLY??? REALLY???? You judge for yourself. Oh and one last thing... The way the Narrator does most of the book is great, but the way she say's "Mamie" makes me grind my teeth! She is always winey and it gets annoying. Then the Big reveal... well I won't spoil it for you. There is a HEA BUT there is a whole lot left unanswered.

I enjoyed this book both on its own and as a welcome addition to the series. The story is a bit light and predictable in places but this doesn't detract from its overall enjoyment. The heroine has a strong, take charge personality which I appreciate in historical romance and the plot had enough twists, turns and historical interest to keep me engaged to the end.

If you could sum up The Last Debutante in three words, what would they be?

An intricate story

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Last Debutante?

The secret of the family and all the little twists and turns...very well done.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Daria learns the truth of the family.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Parts I felt so sorry for Daira, it was as if she had been played here whole life, but her family was just protecting her. Other parts were wonderful with her and Jamie the Laird.

Any additional comments?

I'm not really a historical romance reader/listener, but I did find the overall story to be quite interesting with the little subtle twists and the way Daira handled herself throughout the story...this is one pretty determined debutante and a good survivor. Thumbs up and thinking I may go back and look at some of the other books in this series.